Tuolumne County, California
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tuolumne County, California has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 85% of US counties. It ranks 46th of 58 counties in California. The costliest hazards here are wildfires, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $51 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $910 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (Dove Fire). Only 36 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $309,000 on 20 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Tuolumne County
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | 99.3 | $27M | ||
| Inland flooding | 81.0 | $19M | ||
| Heat wave | 89.0 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 71.0 | $769K | ||
| Drought | 74.1 | $595K | ||
| Lightning | 73.5 | $501K | ||
| Strong wind | 14.1 | $104K | ||
| Winter weather | 64.4 | $95K | ||
| Landslide | 91.2 | $59K | ||
| Tornado | 7.9 | $38K | ||
| Hail | 10.3 | $29K | ||
| Avalanche | 58.9 | $1K | ||
| Volcanic activity | 61.6 | $39 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Tuolumne County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
California also had 35 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1996
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 65 storm reports in Tuolumne County since 1996, with 2 deaths and 0 injuries and about $94.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on March 11, 2023 near Chinese.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2023 | EF1 | Chinese | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2018 | Flash Flood | Moccasin | $43M |
| Mar 4, 2023 | Flood | Hetch Hetchy Jct | $42M |
| Mar 21, 2018 | Flood | Groveland Parsons Ar | $8M |
| Mar 21, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Twain Harte | $1M |
| Mar 6, 2014 | Debris Flow | Oakland Rec Camp | $50K |
| Jan 19, 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stanislaus | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 13, 2023. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Tuolumne County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Tuolumne County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 31,589 housing units.
Compare in California
All 58 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | Earthquake | |
| San Diego County | Inland flooding | |
| Orange County | Earthquake | |
| Riverside County | Inland flooding | |
| San Bernardino County | Inland flooding | |
| Santa Clara County | Earthquake | |
| Alameda County | Earthquake | |
| Sacramento County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Stanislaus County | 18 | |
| Madera County | 23 | |
| Calaveras County | 22 | |
| Mariposa County | 22 | |
| Mono County | 12 | |
| Alpine County | 13 |
Common questions about Tuolumne County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tuolumne County?
Wildfire has the highest expected yearly losses in Tuolumne County, about $27.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $18.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Tuolumne County had?
Tuolumne County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Dove Fire in July 2026.
Is Tuolumne County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 46th highest of 58 in California. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Tuolumne County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Tuolumne County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Tuolumne County had?
NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Tuolumne County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on March 11, 2023 near Chinese. The weather service has also logged 6 hail reports and 24 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.